Neck-yoke



2 Sheets-"Sheet 1. N. L. HOLMES.

NECK YOKE.

(No Model.)

Patented Junew Ive/562,184.

(No Model.) 2 Shee1;s -Sheet 2.

N. L. HOLMES.

NECK YOKE.

No. 562,184. Patented June 16, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

NATHAN L. HOLMES, OF RACINE, \VISCONSIN.

N EC K-YOKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,184, dated June 16, 1896.

Application filed fieptemher 7,1895, Serial No. 561,735. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHAN L. HOLMES, a resident of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Neck- Yokes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention appertains to improvements in neck-yokes, and relates more specifically to improvements in the ton gue-han ger or polesupport of the neck-yoke.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an attachment of simple and strong construction by means of which the tongue or pole of the vehicle is locked positively within the neck-yoke hanger, when in use, but which may, at the same time, be intentionally disconnected therefrom with the utmost ease.

The invention also includes, as one of its objects, the production of a device wherein the desirable characteristics of a leather hanger and those of a metal hanger are combined and embodied in such a manner as to avoid the undesirable features of both.

Various improvements in the details of construction applicable to neck-yokes generally are also disclosed.

The invention consists inthe matters hereinafter described, and more particularly referred to in the appended claims, and the same will be readily understood reference being had to the foregoing drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a neck-yoke embodying one form of my invention, parts being broken out to reduce the space occupied by the figure, the front end of the pole being also shown in position within the hanger. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the hanger disconnected from the neck-yoke. Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views of the interior of the front and rear parts of the hanger, respectively. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the end of a carriage-pole of common construction. Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the central portion of the neck-yoke shown in Fig. 1. Fig. Sis a top plan view of the hangerconstruction.

clip by means of which the hanger is secured to the neck-yoke. Fig. 9 is a detail of the swivel-head. Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the central part of a neck-yoke of common Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of the neck-yoke shown in Fig. 10, showing also a modified form of the safety locking device applied to the hanger thereof. Fig. 12 is a central vertical section taken on line 12 12 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a rear elevation of the attachment shown in Fig. 11, disconnected from the hanger. Fig. 14 is a transverse section taken on line 14: of Fig. 6 and looking in the direct-ion of the arrows.

Referring to said drawings, A designates as a whole a neck-yoke, which so far as its general features, other than those relating to the present invention, are concerned, is of the usual pattern.

B designates a metal clip, secured to the central part of the neck-yoke, at the lower side thereof, conveniently by means of bolts 1) b, which extend diametrically through the yoke, through suitable apertures Z) I) in the end portions of the said clip. At the center of the clip is formed aswivel-aperture 6 which is surrounded by an annular swivelseat or bearing-surfaces b the outer surface of the clip having the form of a boss or hub, to accommodate said swivel-seat. Within said swivel-aperture is seated a swivel-head '0, provided with an eye-lug O, which depends.

through the aperture 19 below the clip B and is provided with a transverse bolt-aperture c. The inner surface of the yoke A, underneath the center of the clip B, and opposite the swivel-head, is provided with a flat-bottomed cylindric recess a, preferably of approximately the same diameter as the diameter of the swivel-head C; and within this recess is placed a leather or analogous buffer C In order to insure such a bearing between the buffer and swivel-head as will prevent rattling of the parts when in use, said buffer will be made a little thicker than the space provided therefor, and will be placed under compression when the clip is drawn up by the bolts 1) thereof.

D designates as a whole a hollow metal ring-shaped case, forming the pole hanger or,

support proper, which said hanger is provided at one side with a pair of parallel lugs (Z (Z, between which the depending eye-lug C of the swivel O is adapted to fit. Said lugs (Z d are provided with apertures d 61 arranged to register with the apertures c of the eye-lug 0', when the latter is in position, one of said lugs, (Z being in the present instance internally screw-threaded, in engagement with a screw-bolt E, which is inserted through said lugs and the eye-lugs 0. Obviously the construction described provides a universal joint between the neck-yoke A and the depending hanger D.

The case D is composed of two main parts or members D D made to separate in the plane of the ring. Preferably, and as shown in the present instance, said parts are hinged together so as to open, watchcase fashion, such hinge being conveniently provided by forming on e'half of each lug d upon each member of the casing, arranging them to underfit to form hinge-ears, as shown clearly in Figs. 3, 4, and 5., and utilizing the bolt E as the pintle of said hinge. The two members of the casing are held securely together at their lower sides, by means of screw-bolts 19 6 inserted through lugs d d and (1 61 formed upon the outer peripheries of the two members of the casing.

The pole-aperture d", which is somewhat larger in diameter than the exterior diameter of the part of the pole F which occupies said aperture,is f ormed centrally through the front side member D, and within the casing, surrounding said pole-aperture d", is secured a heavy leather buffer ring or washer G, the interior diameter of the aperture of which is only large enough to accommodate the end of the vehicle-pole therein, but is less than the diameter of the pole-aperture d of the front member of the casing. amcter of said bu ffer-rin g G is such as to insure a close fit within the front member of the casing, and in order to afford sufficient thickness, the buffer will usually be made with a plurality of layers or thicknesses of leather. It may be noted at this point that the leather buffer G does not occupy the full width of the space between the front and rear walls of the casing, so that considerable room is left between the rear side of the buffer and the proximate face of the rear wall of the member D The buffenring G is removably secured within the front member D',by means of a plurality of screws inserted through suitable apertures in the front wall of said casing and into the body of the buffer.

The rear member D of the hanger is also provided with a pole-aperture (1 said aperture being, however, of sufficiently larger diameter than the aperture d to permit the entrance therethrough of the end of the pole and the usual crescent-shaped flange f, upon the under side of said tongue, when the parts are placed in proper relation to each other, as hereinafter described. The aperture d The outer di-- instead of being arranged concentrically with that of the part or member D, is arranged with its lower margin substantially on a level or coincident with the lower margin of the aperture d, and being of considerable larger diameter than the latter, its center is necessarily located eccentrically to and above that of the aperture cl".

The neck-yoke is placed upon the pole by simply turning it upside down, '0'. 6., turning the neck-yoke around so as to depend by the hanger from the lower side of the pole, in

which position the eccentrically arranged larger aperture (Z will register with the holdback-flange f of the tongue and permit the latter to enter the casing, until it comes into contact with the bufier-ring G. The neckyoke will then be rotated upon the pole back to its proper position extending transversely above the latter, the holdback-fiange obviously assuming the position shownin Fig. 2, i. 6.. occupying the space between the rear side of the lower part of buffenring G and the inner wall of the back casing D Inasmuch as the diameter of the front aperture d is such as to prevent the pole from rising within the casing, the holdback-flange f will obviously be locked positively between said buffer-ring on the one side, and the lower part d of the rear wall of the casing on the other, and the yoke can only be disengaged by rotating it back to a reversed position, as described.

In order to prevent the accumulation of dust, dirt or other substances within the lower part of the casing, a little opening or slot (Z is provided therein through which such dirt, dust, or the like may escape.

It is to be particularly noted that the construction of the attachment is such that when properly used, the pole will, under ordinary circumstances, not come into contact with the metal 'of the casing at all, by reason of the fact that when the harness is properly adjusted the pole-straps will always draw back upon the neck-yoke sufliciently to retain said holdback-fiange of the tongue in contact with the rear side of the leather buffer, while the interior diameter of the latter is such as to prevent the tongue from coming in contact with the metal casing by lateral or vertical movement. Should, however, one or more tugs be broken or unfastened, or the harness in any way loosened, so as to allow the neck-yoke to slip forward upon the tongue, it will be positively prevented from slipping off the tongue by the engagement of cial feature of economy arises from the fact that a relatively small amount of leather is employed in the construction of the device; the difference in the cost of the amount used in this form of hanger and in one of the ordinary construction being sufficient to in a great measure counterbalance the entire cost of construction of the metal casing. An incidental feature of economy arises from the fact that the center cut out in making the larger buifers G may be used for the swivel-head buffers 0 By means of the swivel connection between the hanger and neck-yoke, the frame is relieved of the destructive twisting wear due to the oscillatory movement of the yoke upon the tongue, and this adds materially to the length of life of the attachment. It is also to be noted that the construction throughout is such as to prevent any rattling of the parts, even after they have become considerably worn, while the buffers may be renewed at any time with the greatest facility.

In Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive, I have shown a modified form of the attachment which is adapted for application to any of the neckyokes now commonly used. In this case,I simply provide a metal safety attachment H, correspondin g in all essential features to the rear member D of the former construction. This attachment is adapted to be secured to the rear side of an ordinary leather neck-yoke hanger I in the same relation to the pole-aperture 7; therein as the rear member D of the former construction bears to the aperture of the buffer G. As a convenient means of thus securing the attachment to the hanger, said attachment is provided with a plurality, in this instance three, of peripheral lugs h h h, each suitably apertured for screws h, which are inserted through said lugs and into the leather body of the hanger. Obviously rivets or other means for attaching the device to the hanger may be employed. By the use of this attachment, the neck-yoke is locked to the pole in precisely the same manner as in the former construction, and the same degree of safety is therefore assured.

I claim as my invention- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a safety attachment for a neck-yoke, consisting of an inflexible ring adapted to be secured flatwise against the rear side of the neckyoke hanger around the aperture thereof, said ring being provided with a flange arranged to extend inwardly in the plane of'the ring, and at a distance from the surface of the neck-yoke hanger, substantially as set forth.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a safety attachment for a neck-yoke, consisting of an approximately band-shaped metal ring provided at its periphery with screw-apertures whereby it may be secured flatwise against the rear side of a neck-yoke hanger, around the aperture thereof, said ring being provided with an inturned flange at the side remote from the hanger, wider at one side of the ring than at the other, whereby the opening of the inflexible locking device, rigidly mounted upon the rear side of the hanger, and pro- .vided with a flange, arranged to encircle the lower part of the pole-aperture with a space intervening between said pole-hanger and the -fiange, substantially as described.

4:. A combination with a neck-yoke polehanger, provided with a pole-aperture, of a locking device, for preventing the withdrawal of the pole therefrom, comprising a metal ring rigidly mounted upon the rear side of the hanger, and provided with a flange which encircles the lower part of said pole-aperture at a short distance therefrom, so as to provide an intervening space to accommodate the holdback projection of the tongue, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a neck-yoke polehanger, provided with a pole-aperture, of a concave metal ring rigidly secured to the rear side of said hanger, with its margin encircling said pole-aperture, said concave ring being provided with a pole-aperture arranged eccentrically to that of the hanger, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a neck-yoke, of a pole hanger comprising a circular hollow metal casing, provided in its front and rear sides with pole-apertures, the rear side aperture being of larger diameter than the front aperture, and arranged eccentrically to the latter, and with its lower margin substantially coincident with the lower margin of the front aperture, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a neck-yoke, of a pole hanger comprising a circular hollow metal casing, provided in its front and rear sides with pole-apertures, the rear aperture being of larger diameter than the front aperture, and arranged eccentrically to the latter, with its lower margin substantially coincident with the lower margin of the front aperture and a leather buffer-ring surrounding said front aperture within the casing, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a neck-yoke, of a polehanger comprising a circular hollow metal casing, provided in its front and rear sides with pole-apertures, the rear aperture being of larger diameter than the front aperture, and arranged eccentrically to the latter, with its lower margin substantially coincident with the lower margin of the front aperture, and a leather buffer-ring surrounding said front aperture within the casing, the parts of said casing being made separable, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a neck-yoke, of a I with its lower margin substantially eoincimy inventionlaffix my signature, in presence dent with the lower margin of the front aperof two Witnesses, this 5th day of September, ture and a leather buifer-ring surrounding A. D. 1895 said front aperture Within the casing, the NATHAN L. HOLMES. 5 parts of said casing being made separable and \Vitnesscs:

hinged together, substantially as described. TAYLOR E. BROWN,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as W'ILLIAM L. HALL. 

